Sunrise Reflections
by FortressMaximus
Summary: NEW CHAPTER 7-7-12! 'Rage of the Heart' showed the depth of Rika & Takato's love. 'Cave of Wonders' we saw that love unfold. But as Takato & Rika moved from friends to lovers, their journey helped Henry discover his great love in the most unexpected of places-and from the most unlikely of friends! But how long can Henry's secret love stay that way? Chapter 4: Seiko knows...
1. Default Chapter

(authors notes at bottom)  
(Note: This is an PG 13 sequel to an NC-17 fic called 'Moonlight Passions' now housed at MediaMiner.org under my same authors name. If you have not read this story due to the rating but would like too, please e-mail me and I will send a 'cleaned up' summary if you wish. Thank you!)  
  
Sunrise Reflections  
Sunlight poured in through the swaying blinds, creating alternating images of light and dark as they danced across the room. The low hum of the central air was the only sound that could be heard, easily drowning out the rhythmic breathing of the rooms lone occupant. Time passed, and the dancing imaged flowed like water over the wall until finally coming to rest upon the headboard of the full-sized bed.   
  
It was the jarring sound of a door slamming that finally broke through the slumber of the sleeping teen and guided him back to reality. With bleary eyes and mental faculties clouded by exhaustion, the Tamer shifted under the soft covers trying to find a haven against the unwanted daylight.   
  
It was only as he turned over that the protested squeak of a mattress spring spurred the young man enough to realize that something was wrong.   
  
/Very/ wrong.   
  
The sheets that surrounded him were not supposed to be there, nor were the soft pajamas that covered his body. Instead of air from the ceiling vent moving the blinds, it was supposed to be the early morning breeze shaping his hair to fit its whims. There should be moss and dirt under him as the morning chill was chased off his bare body-not by synthetics of mans' technology-but by the fur-covered form of his friend...his lover. He wasn't supposed to be here.  
  
He wasn't supposed to be alone.   
  
"Renamon...?" came Henry's voice as he called out, but stark silence was the only reply.   
  
Stirring from within the covers, Henry ignored the worry building in his gut and staggered out of bed to his feet. Rubbing his eyes to clear the sleep from them, he glanced around the room hoping...praying...that some clue would present itself to explain why he was here and alone.   
  
Something that would tell why he was not with his love Renamon  
  
But with each passing glance it became all-to-clear there /were/ no clues to find. The room was as it should be. /He/ was as he should be. There was no trace of the Digimon; not even a single bit of fur left in the spot beside his upon the bed.   
  
Sinking down into a chair, Henry's logical mind nudged him towards the only reasonable conclusion: it had been a dream; another beautiful but intangible fantasy, so like the ones that had plagued the love-struck young man since that fateful kiss in the park months ago.   
  
"No...please no. Not again.." whispered the Tamer as he put his head in his hands. **It couldn't have been a dream! It was so real! I can't..I can't believe that...that we didn't...**   
  
Unable to bear the thought of having his greatest moment be nothing but hormonal fantasy, the Tamer grabbed the closest thing, his D-Arc, and flung the device in anger. Bouncing off the bed at a sharp angle, the green-trimmed Digivice landed somewhere across the room buried among piles of computer printouts.   
  
"It was supposed to be real! It was...it was supposed to be special!" seethed the teen as he felt the anger at himself welling up inside; anger at mistaking a few minutes of physical release for something as special as /that/. **It felt /so/ real!** thought the teen as he easily remembered Renamon coming by, stealing a few moments from patrol of the city for herself. Even now he recalled the feel of her kiss upon his lips, the back of her un-gloved paw gliding down his cheek. But it seemed everything after that: the surprise moonlight picnic she had packed, the walk in the park, the gentle touches and caresses that had led to so much more; all of these were but false memories.  
  
Nothing more than a young man's fantasy.   
  
It was only then a hint of motion caught Henry's eye as a sheet of paper fluttered to the floor beside him. In anger he nearly shredded the innocent document, but a moments clarity upon seeing his name wrote in unfamiliar handwriting peaked his curiosity. Slowly unfolding the letter that had apparently been neatly tucked under his D-Arc, the young man studied the document.   
  
Glancing at it, he was now sure it wasn't his writing at all. Each letter was individually crafted and separate from the next, the words seemingly drafted by someone not use to pencil and paper. However, judging by the neatness present, it was clear that the author took care to carefully convey each word. Then, at the very bottom, his heart skipped a full beat when a large 'R' became the signature. Like a flash, his eyes flew to the top of the paper and he began to read in earnest .   
  
'My Dearest Henry-There are no words to express the sorrow that I feel at this moment. After what we shared, not being there now as you wake feels like a great injustice. It is my deepest wish to be there, but the risks we face still exists. Those who would not understand before most certainly will not understand now. My heart aches to be close to you, yet in daylight we can not take such chances. For now, even a glimpse of you is enough to last me until I see you again. It must suffice, for I have no other choice.  
It was almost daybreak when I woke in the park and realized the trouble you would be in were you not home when your parents rose, and I could not let that happen. The clothes you wore at under the bed, dirty but safely hidden from sight. The basket was not so lucky as it sadly did not survive our night together.   
It is past dawn, dear Henry, and I must go. But remember my love-while I will always possess an untamed soul, it was you who tamed my heart. Farewell.'  
  
Reading the letter once more, Henry stood after a moments reflection and gently folded the letter, slipping it into a nearby sock drawer. His anger evaporating like the morning dew, the teen smiled as he walked over and raised the blinds. Sunlight poured in, causing him to blink as his eyes adjusted to the glare. A shadow passed over the window and was gone, yet there was nothing present to cause such occurrence. Henry simply smiled, knowing all-too-well what...or rather who...the shadow belonged to and his heart soared with relief. Looking out onto the city, the Tamer felt as if he was seeing the world with new eyes. Yesterday the view had felt intimidating and vast; as if life was waiting for him to leave his sanctuary and attack with all its concerns. But now, facing the new day, he felt he could conquer the world. .   
  
The weight that had threatened to engulf his heart vanished as the young man realized his most special of dreams-of finally being with the Digimon he loved-happened as he remembered.   
  
With a light bounce in his step and a new song in his soul, Henry walked over and picked up his D-Arc, brushing it off almost apologetically. Slipping the device back on top the small dresser, the young man opened his bedroom door and walked out into the hallway. With his goal the kitchen, his stomach took the opportunity to remind him to recharge after the energy expenditures of the night before.   
  
But as he entered the dining room, something new gave him cause to worry. Instead of the normal weekend hustle and bustle of his mother cooking breakfast and Suzie playing with Lopmon and Terriermon there was only his father present, quietly sitting at the dining room table.   
"Uhm..dad...? Where's mom and Suzi..."  
  
"Sit down Henry."  
  
Blinking, the young man was taken aback by the command. Gone was his fathers' normal tone of warmth and understanding, in its wake were only neutral tones that sent shivers down his spine. Slowly, the Tamer sank down into a chair facing his dad, unsure what was to happen next.   
  
Janyu sat there quietly for a long moment before finally fixing his son with hard look.   
  
"Henry, we need to talk."  
  
Light and dark merged, then separated, as Renamon easily shadow-teleported across the distance between Henry's apartment complex and her home with Rika. A glance at the morning sky proved she was running behind as her desire catch a glimpse of Henry put her behind schedule for being home when her Tamer left for her weekly checkup at Dr. Mizuno's. **She's probably worried sick by now...** thought the Digimon. **I don't want to lie to Rika, but what do I tell her when she asks where I have been?** As the Digimon tried to find an answer her conscience could live with, her mind soon started to wonder towards more pleasant avenues of thought.   
  
Realizing that daydreaming and dimensional shifting was a risky combination at best, the Digimon phased back into reality and stood upon a sturdy oak branch, resting for a moment to collect her thoughts before continuing. It was only then, as her mind began to clear, did she realize where her daydreaming had carried her.   
  
A wry smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as the fox gracefully leapt the dozen or so feet to the ground and land without a sound. With a light tread, she walked over to the sea of soft moss that had, hours ago, been her resting place with Henry.   
  
Closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled the fresh morning air, her keen sense of smell easily picking out the various aromas. But among the fragrant pine and earthy bark was a scent that startled her with its lingering intensity; a scent that would forever be a part of her most private dreams.   
  
Henry's.   
  
A flood of memories rushed through her mind as the Digimon relished them nearly as much as the event that created them in the first place. Letting her minds eye wonder, Renamon could almost once more feel the gentle caresses upon her fur; the feel of his lips to hers; the soft shudder he made as her paw finally explored what had been kept hidden for so long; the feel of...  
  
A powerful shudder passed through Renamon as the moonlight memory of that fateful moment nearly overwhelmed her, almost succeeding in urging her back to Henry's room to recapture what was shared hours before.   
  
Almost.   
  
But despite how wonderful such thoughts were to entertain, Renamon knew that the risks of indulging in them were simply unacceptable; Henry's parents were still unaware of what was going on, just like Rika and her family was still blissfully in the dark.   
  
The Digimon wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible; they simply would not understand the love between a human and a being of data such as herself. Even now, to this very day, she still was amazed at how simply it all started.   
  
With a final calming breath, the Digimon gracefully leapt back up into the branches and, amidst a blur of yellow and black, was gone leaving behind the small clearing that had changed her life and heart forever.   
  
While Renamon savored the early morning sun, not far away in the opposite direction, darkness prevailed as the drawn blinds blocked every beam of light that tried to enter the bedroom. Then, somewhere in that darkness, a whimper escaped pursed lips as a rush of agony ran through her young body. Over and over, small fingers lanced upwards into her yet-to-blossom womanhood, each time more painful than the last. Bitter tears trickled down her face as the hurt continued to grow as she was urged on by a dark need for punishment.   
  
But, despite her best efforts, pleasure began to accompany the pain as ecstasy slowly replaced agony. Moments later, on the edge of release, the fingers slipped from her private place robbing her body of the climax she longed to experience. Shivering, the former Tamer fell to her side and onto the soft bedcovers as she clutched the stuffed lion close. Sobbing into the soft fur, a muttered apology escaped into the emptiness around her.   
  
"I'm sorry Leomon..." the voice stammered, knowing she deserved a much greater punishment for thinking about him in such a manner. "I'll make sure to never dream about you like that again. I promise...' she pledged to her long-absent partner.   
  
The tears continued to flow until an empty, dreamless sleep overtook Jeri and the young woman became lost in a sea of blackness. Only after long minutes had passed did a small, white creature emerged from the darkness underneath her bed. Phasing through the wall and out into the sun-drenched sky, the Digi-Gome used the same small portal as before, sliding through the gateway and back to the Digital World.   
  
A rush of morning breeze greeted Renamon as she materialized in Rika's back yard, her reflection shimmering in the Koi pond as she walked by. Almost gliding over the small stone path and up the wooden stairs, the Digimon paused only to open the door.   
  
The house was too quiet for Renamon's liking. Even this early on a Saturday morning, there should be some hustle and bustle from the dwelling; either Rika's mother talking with her agent about the next modeling shoot or her Grandmother chatting with her bridge club via the Internet.   
  
"Is that you Renamon...?" came the voice from the direction of the kitchen.   
  
Blinking, the Digimon walked over and looked inside to find Rika's grandmother hard at work on making a most impressive breakfast feast. The smell of several of her favorite Earth foods teased her sense of smell as her stomach grumbled at having been neglected for such a long time.   
  
Ignoring the rumblings of her belly for now, the Digimon walked in and nodded. "It is Ms...." she began, pausing as she still was having trouble catching herself..."grandmother...".   
  
With a smile Seiko nodded in approval. For months since the Digimon's return to the real world, she had been trying to get Renamon to call her 'grandmother' as she was as close to Rika's sister as possible under the circumstances.   
  
"I thought so Renamon. Good morning!" beamed Seiko she peeked in the oven to see if the bread was ready. "Out for an early morning run...?" she asked, frowning as she lowered the heat so as to not burn her biscuits.   
  
"It was such a beautiful morning I decided to take the long way home..." replied the fox, able to live with that explanation as it was the truth...partially. Leaving out /where/ she was taking the long way home /from/ was another matter altogether. "I assume Rika went to Doctor Mizuno's already...?" she inquired, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice by being much too late to go with her partner.   
"They left about 2 hours ago. Rumiko wanted to run some errands and pick up the latest fashion magazines so she would have something to do while Rika was being examined." explained Seiko as the warm biscuits emerged from the oven, the scent of fresh bread filling the small room.   
  
"I see...". was the only reply as the Digimon was torn between worrying if Rika was still fairing well with her pregnancy or if her partner was upset that she had not been home in time as promised.   
  
Seiko turned, and blinked as Renamon seemed lost in thought. But is was not the look of contemplation upon the fox's face, but rather it was the glimmer in the Digimon's eyes that startled her for the longest moment.  
  
In all the time she had known about the existence of Digimon, a part of her felt there was very little left that could happen to surprise her. Yet, there in Renamon's gaze was the same look she herself had seen both in Rumiko's eyes so many years ago and in her granddaughters' only just a few months prior. It was now clear that-regardless from being from another dimension- Renamon had more in common now with her partner and friend than the pair could have ever guess. At that moment, the answer to the concerns Rika had voice that very morning became crystal clear.   
  
Easing back into motion Seiko set the bread down on the table before sliding the butter and toppings over to the Digimon. "Please feel free to begin Renamon; don't wait for me. Besides, after such nice run I am sure you are hungry...".   
  
About to protest (although more out of politeness and habit than not actually being hungry-which she was) the woman beat her to the punch. "And I won't take 'no' for an answer!" she playfully teased the Digimon before pouring a glass of cold milk for her newest grandchild.   
  
Unwilling to offend and unable to silence the rumblings in her gut, Renamon let an impossibly brief smile show before diving in, her energy levels dipping lower as a result of all that had happened.   
  
Smiling as Renamon enjoyed the food, Seiko went back and finished several other favorites she knew the Digimon liked. One by one, the dishes were offered to the fox and each time a protest was about to rise up Seiko flashed the same maternal grin as before.   
  
It all too clear that Renamon was expected to eat until she bust. With a slight nod the Digimon accepted defeat and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the meal without denying a single serving placed before her.   
  
Seiko simply sat down now and sipped some coffee, watching Renamon enjoy her meal. But, unknown to the Digimon, the grandmother was doing more than simply taking a well-earned break. She took in every bit of detail possible about the late arriving Digimon, and with each piece of evidence gathered she was sure her instincts were right once more. .   
Finally reaching the point where another bite would cause her explode like a D-Reaper agent hit by Gallantmon's Shield of the Just, Renamon politely pushed away the final bit of food. Sighing in contentment, her energy reserves slowly began to rise.   
  
Without a word Seiko gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink to soak, flashing another smile as the Digimon had started to help with the rest of the plates. With a shake of her head, Renamon sat back down and let her host finish cleaning the table.   
  
"Thank you grandmother...".   
  
"Of course Renamon! It would be a sad day when a grandchild of mine can't look forward to being stuffed until she can't walk when at /my/ table!" she teased, laughing slightly at the look on the fox's face.   
  
A small laugh escaped Renamon's lips as she felt herself relaxing. Warm and full with extremely pleasant dreams to look forward to, the Digimon slowly stood. "If it is okay, I would like to take a nap until Rika returns...".   
  
Nodding, the woman agreered. "Of course Renamon!.." she began, then paused, if there was something else she wanted to say.   
  
Catching that moment of hesitation, the Digimon gave Seiko a curious look. "Is there something wrong grandmother...?"  
  
Knowing that there would not be a better time to voice her concerns, Seiko politely asked "Renamon...do you have a moment?"  
  
Ignoring the cold shiver as it ran down her spine, Renamon nodded and slipped back into her chair.   
  
Taking a calming breath, Seiko sat back down and faced her daughters' protector with a gentle smile. "Renamon...we need to talk...".   
  
As the morning sun rose higher in the sky, darkness still surrounded Jeri. In the time since waking up, the former Tamer had only made it to the edge of the bed. Still clad in her simple nightgown, she tightly clutched a small picture of her and Leomon, taken the night before she and the others had left for the Digital World to save Calumon. In it the pair smiling-well, /she/ was smiling; Leomon still had that same tight expression that would make an enemy army think twice about attacking. But, unseen by most, the Digimon's eyes had a sparkle of happiness that had not existed there for a some time.   
  
Another mixed wave of happiness and misery swept over Jeri as the days that followed replayed in her mind. Late at night, she could still hear the death roar of Leomon as Beezlemon impaled the lion. The warrior's last breath still filled her ears as her partner vanished into a stream of data particles never to be seen again.   
  
"Oh...God...Leomon...I miss you so much!" quietly sobbed the young woman as memories of his presence filled her. His politeness at moving the rocks in Guilmon's tunnel for her; his honest explanation to her father why she had to go to the Digital World in the first place. But slowly her mind began to drift into deeper, more personal times as she recalled that moment days ago when she called out Leomon's name; her private time in the bath having turned into an exercise in pleasure.   
  
Shaking her head in disgust, Jeri mentally berated herself for thinking about Leomon in a such a horrible way. Remembering her promise, the teen closed her eyes and began to punish herself again in the only fitting way she knew.   
  
Agony lanced through her tender body as she had yet to recover from the time before, so now each intimate caress was twice as painful. Wincing as the pain grew, the young Tamer prayed that wherever Leomon was now, he would forgive her for thinking about him in such a way.   
  
It was at that moment Jeri finally realized how pathetic she truly was; how could she even /think/ that someone as brave and noble as Leomon could love such a worthless Tamer as herself?   
The bitter tears began to fall once more.   
  
Elsewhere, admist the clouds and sky of the Digital World, Azulongmon watched in hopeful anticipation as a small DigiGnome approached. But as the small being relayed the information it had observed in the real world, the Sovereign's heart grew heavy.   
  
"Thank you, my little friend..." rumbled the voice of the Dragon Digimon as the ruler of the land below him looked around. The Digital World was still recovering from the massive battle against the D-Reaper and, even after all the work that had been done to repair the damage, the landscape was still horribly scarred and broken.   
  
Just like the heart and soul of the young Tamer.   
  
It was then, at that moment, the honorable Digimon realized he could no longer stand by and let fate run its painful course.   
  
/Something/ had to be done, and now.   
  
Turning back to the small DigiGnome, the Dragon's voice again echoed across the heavens. "My friend..." he began, knowing that once said he could not turn back..."go gather your fellows and return to the Real World. You have one more mission to perform."  
  
The small creature looked at the huge Dragon quizzically.   
  
"Bring Impmon to me."  
  
With a nod and a chattering giggle, the small DigiGnome was off to carry out its mission.   
  
There, in the silence of the sky, the Dragon watched as events he had longed wish to avoid were reluctantly set into motion. "It is time..." mummered the Digimon to himself as he flew off , knowing there was much to do and little time to do it in.   
  
Fate would not look kindly upon his plan, but by this point he truly did not care.   
  
He had a soul to save.  
  
(To Be Continued...)  
  
Authors Notes  
**********  
1) Hello! Welcome to 'Sunrise Reflections', the sequel to 'Moonlight Passions.' If you've read my other stories I appreciate you keeping up with me despite the fact of my rather long times in between posting and if you are new to my little corner of the world let me welcome you right now! This story has an 'R' rating more so because of where it came from "Moonlight Passions' and where it is going (see next note) rather than what is going on in this part.   
  
2) With this sequel my 'universe' is splitting up into three branches (with a HUGE tip of the hat to Lord Archive for coming up with this idea!). They are going to be following the timeline below:  
  
* 'Rage of the Heart" leads to 'Moonlight Passions' ( as 'MP' happens about 5 months after 'RotH').  
  
* 'Moonlight Passions' leads directly to 'Sunrise Reflections' as 'SR' is the morning after 'MP'.   
  
*'Sunrise Reflections' will lead to the three different story branches I mentioned earlier  
  
A) The events that led to Rika's pregnancy and the events in 'Rage of the Heart' will be told in Takato and Rika's story 'The Cave of Wonders' (tentative title)  
  
B) How Henry and Renamon fell in love (the months between the end of Tamers and 'Moonlight' as well as what happens after 'Sunrise') will be told in their story 'Untamed Love' (tentative title)   
  
C) Jeri's story will be told in a story created (hopefully) for the November Media Miner challenge in "Final Redemption" (tentative title)  
  
3) Another huge tip o'the hat to Chris at the Digimon Encyclopedia for having taken the time to spell out REALLY long Digimon names so I wouldn't have too! ;) Thanks Chris!  
  
4) Again, thanks to everyone for reading my work! I hope to keep you entertained for some time to come!  
  
FortressMaximus 


	2. Chapter 2

Sunrise Reflections

Chapter 2

By: FortressMaximus

'We need to talk'.

There are many phrases that-over the years-through writing, T.V. and other forms of entertainment that have come to hold the dubious pleasure of being sayings that you just...don't...use because it's simply asking for trouble. 'What's the worse that can happen?' is-of course- one of the Big Three, along with 'We should be safe now' and last but not least ' Let's split up to cover more ground'.

But for a teenager, no set of words can strike as much pure fear as the four Henry had just heard. Frozen in his chair, he looked at his father trying to keep the fear out of his voice. To be honest, Henry wasn't sure what he could have done to warrant such a gruff command from his dad but whatever the problem was it didn't bode well for him.

((Oh...God...what if he knows about Renamon?!)) thought the boy to himself as a lighting bolt of ice ran down the length of his spine.

Janyu didn't want to do this; he really didn't. While many father/son relationships were sorely tested through the teenage years, he and Henry had-so far-come through fairly intact; well, save for that time after the defeat of the D-Reaper. After losing his best friend because of the necessary alterations to Terriermon's digital code, it had taken the return of Terriermon a few months later to finally bridge the gulf that had grown between them.

However, deep down, Janyu knew he had no choice. He was the father, Henry was the son and no matter what a line had to be drawn on what was acceptable behavior in their home.

"Henry...?"

"Uhm...yea dad?"

"First off, I'm not mad at you. I want you to know that."

"O..okay...".

"I am concerned about some of your recent actions, but I want you to know that I do remember what it was like being a teenager and I'm more than willing to admit I'm being something of a hypocrite here."

The youth went to reply, but quieted when the caught the look on his dad's face.

"But being a father means you get a limited privilege to be a hypocrite so I'm using that now. I hope you understand this is not something I want to come between us. I respect you Henry, and all the good you have done; I know I haven't said it enough but I am very proud of you."

"Dad...I...uhm, thanks."

"Be that as it may..." Janyu started, his gaze falling squarely on Henry's form, causing the teen to feel about an inch high..."I have to say I do have...concerns... about you sneaking out after bedtime."

A pall fell over the room as father and son sat there, each staring at the other in strained quiet until the teen found his voice. "Dad, it's not...I mean..."

"I hope you're not going to say it was your duties as a Tamer that pulled you away, because we both know that'd be-at the very least-a stretch of the truth and perhaps outright lying at worse."

At that Henry narrowed his eyes, fixing his father with a hard gaze. "And what does that mean?"

Wincing slightly at the tone, Janyu ignored the growing worry this was all going to go to hell rather quickly and forged ahead with his plan. "It means Henry that if you were going out to battle rogue Digimon, you would have taken your Digivice and Terriermon with you..." he paused, looking at his son over his glasses..."since it would be hard to fight a foe without your partner or your equipment."

"Dad, it's not really anything to worry about. Honest..."

"My son is sneaking out of his room at God-knows hours of the night, and it's nothing to worry about? Try being me and hearing that from your son; it doesn't work that way and you know it."

"Are you...are you spying on me??"

The accusation hit home with Janyu, forcing the elder to remove his glasses and rub the bridge of his nose. Trying to find a few seconds to formulate an answer, he did his best to avoid the accusatory look on his son's face.

"At first Henry, no. I was going to the bathroom, saw your window was open and went in to close it. Terriermon and your Digivice were still in your room but you weren't in the apartment at all.

"I could have just stepped out for some air; those placement tests really frazzled a lot of guys. I was up studying to after midnight a lot remember?

"That's what I thought at first. Then it happened again a few night later...and then a few nights after your final exam. Pretty soon it was at least two to three times a week Henry. Once or twice I could overlook, but not that many times son."

Janyu paused once more, putting his glasses back on and fixing his son with a direct look. "Is it drugs?"

The teen blinked. "DAD!"

"I'm your father Henry; I have to ask these questions!"

"No, it's not drugs! Seesh! You think I'm dumb enough to fall into that trap!? You and I talked about that last year, remember?

"I know son, and I'm proud of you for not getting involved with that mess. It's a long trip down a bad road...".

"Good, we agree! Can I go now?" Henry asked through clenched teeth.

Ignoring the question, Janyu sighed. "However, since it's not drugs, and it not due to Digimon rematerialize in the real world, that leaves only one option then...".

"And that is...?"

"I have to assume it's a girl."

Despite his best efforts to maintain a mask of pure emotionless, Henry could feel the color drain from his face.

((Damm...)) thought Janyu as he truly hoped there was some other option he had missed that could have solved this easily.

"Am I right Henry? Are you sneaking out to see a girl?"

"Dad...listen, it's not what you're thinking. You trusted me when I was battling the D- Reaper; why won't you trust me here?"

"I want to son, and to some degree I do! But remember I know what it's like being a teenage boy; the churning hormones, the need to do something to find out what all the other guys in the locker room are talking about. I know it's tough Henry, but sneaking out to spend some time with a girl...".

"It's not like that at all! I'm just..." at that the teen paused, trying to reign in his emotions before something was said he couldn't take back. After a few minutes he continued..."Dad, you're right; it is a girl. But nothing bad is going on!" he said, trying to reassure his father of the fact. To him, nothing bad was going on as he and Renamon-despite the incredible night they had just shared-were still going to be friends and part of the team. .

"So what's going on then?"

Henry sighed, shaking his head and wishing this conversation was over already. "She came to me for advice as her sister was having a baby. She wasn't sure how to help and felt that . having a baby sister I could at least tell her what not to do at any rate. Meeting late at night was the best time for her and it didn't bother me. Besides, has anything bad come of me talking to her? Have my grades slipped, or my chores around here been neglected?" he countered, putting his dad on the spot for once in the conversation.

"That's not the point Henry..."

"It's got to be the point Dad! There's nothing else it can be! She needed advice and I was one of the few people who's opinion she trusted! We met, we talked, I came home." The teen knew that was barely skirting the line where a incomplete truth stumbled into a pure lie, but only in the last two months or so had his relationship with Renamon started to become more physical. At first all they did was talk and that was the honest truth.

"The point Henry is that my teenage son is sneaking out to see a girl who's name he has yet to use..." commented the elder as he caught the son's shocked glance that he had picked up on that little omission..."and that he's coming back several hours after he leaves!" said the exasperated Janyu. "Do I need to spell it out for you Henry?"

"Please do, because I sure as hell can't see where this is going!" seethed the youth, his anger growing at his father's unwillingness to just trust him on this matter like he had done with so many other things.

Standing up, Janyu leaned over the table, palms push firmly down on the smooth wooden surface. "Fine Henry! You want it spelled out for you then here it is--my son is sneaking out and possibly having sex with some girl who he doesn't even bring home to meet his parents!"

"It's not like that at all!" yelled Henry, mimicking his father's position so they were now face to face over the center of the table. Lost in anger, the teen was oblivious to the fact that it indeed was exactly like that, but deep down the boy's pride would not give his father the satisfaction. This was his life; he could make the choices on his own!

"Then tell me the truth son! What else can it be!?"

"Why won't you just drop this?! There's nothing to worry about!"

"I can't accept that Henry! I will not sit by and watch you throw your life away!"

At that the boy blinked. "I AM NOT throwing my life away! You don't even know what's going on! You're just assuming it's bad when it's not!"

"Then tell me what's going on!"

"I will when it's time..."

"Henry, I love you but don't...force...this! I know you don't understand this now, but I have a responsibility to protect you from harm, even if it's protecting you from yourself! You're smart Henry, and I am so proud that you've turned into a strong and independent young man! But you have to trust me on this! This behavior...this girl will only lead you into trouble!"

"You don't know anything about her! For all you know she could be the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with!" shouted the teen, striding around the table to meet his dad face-to -face. "You can trust me to save the world, but not fall in love?!"

"You're too young to understand Henry! This...this isn't love! Sneaking out all hours of the night, not bringing her home to meet us! You haven't even said her name Henry; what am I supposed to think?!"

Disgusted, Henry turned away. "Think whatever you want! I can save the damm world, but I can't be trusted enough to find someone special! You're not being a hypocrite Dad, you're being Grandpa!"

The barb stung deeper than Henry intended, but the damage was done. It was no secret that several members on both side of the family objected to a mixed marriage; most vocal among both sides had been Janyu's father. After the marriage it was rare for the two to speak for more than a few minutes. Even before he died several months earlier, only Henry and Suzie had been welcomed for a final visit with their Grandfather. Long ago Janyu had come to uneasy terms with his father, but the relationship between them never fully recovered due to the elder Wong's stubborness--despite the fact the union brought him such wonderful grandchildren.

But for Henry to compare him to his Grandfather--well, that was the last straw. Grabbing his wayward son's arm, Janyu spun him around to face him. "You can not see her again." he commanded, his voice low and in no way leaving room for discussion.

"You can't tell me..."

"Yes, I can Henry! This girl is using you and I will not see you throw your life away on some...whore!"

He never meant to say it.

It was his frustration talking; picking the wrong word in a moment of anger.

Janyu never saw it coming.

In the blink of an eye, the man found himself rammed up against a wall, his son grasping at the poly/cotton blend of his dress shirt. Fists balled with material trapped within, Henry shook with a rare that would have made a Sovereign cower.

And in what would be the first-and only-time in his life, Janyu Wong became afraid of his son.

"SHUT UP!! DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT ABOUT RENAMON AGAIN!!"

To an outsider watching the exchange, he or she would have been hard pressed to judge who was more in shock; Henry for revealing his secret love and-even more unnerving-what he had just done to his father, or Janyu himself, who's mind would not yet let him believe who Henry had fallen in love with.

Still shaking, Henry slowly unclenched his fists. Now born of fear and self loathing, the teen finally realized how close he had come to actually hurting his dad. With fingertips still frozen in place, he backed away as tears started to flow down his cheeks.

God, what have I done?? his mind's eye cried out as the staggered back away from his stunned dad. He looked up at his elder and tried to speak but no words would come out.

Janyu slumped against the wall, shaken to his soul by the revelation. ((My son is in love with...Renamon??)) he thought, not quite realizing yet his son was pale beyond belief. It was only after a few more seconds passed before he began to focus on his child and saw the look of agony in his eyes. It was then he realized he had gone too far and had ignited the dark anger that his son tried so hard to keep in check. "Henry..." he whispered softly, reaching out towards the youth

Henry backed away, out of reach of his father's comforting embrace as he knew he didn't deserve it. "Daddy...I'm..I'm so sorry!" he blurted out as his fight-or-flee instincts kicked in. Scrambling out the door in his pajamas the teen ran blindly, tears now flowing unchecked as the horror of what he had done to his dad replayed in his mind over and over.

"Henry...? Henry!" he called out as the boy darted into the afternoon, making it downstairs in record time and practically shoving his way through the crowd. Watching from the doorway, Janyu could only watch numbly until his son disappeared into the wooded area across the street that lead to the park.

"Don't worry son..I'm coming..." muttered the man as he paused only long enough to grab his keys and dart out the door, determined to reach his shattered son and try to repair the damage their pride had caused.

And God help anyone who got in his way...

To Be Continued...

Authors Notes:

Hello! Welcome to chapter 2 of Sunrise Reflections, my Henry/Renamon story that takes place within the 9 month time frame of Rika's pregnancy over in Cave of Wonders. Renamon went to see Henry at first for advice on how to deal with Rika being so different after becoming with child, and the pair wound up falling in love!

But can their love survive Henry's revelation? And just what does Rika's grandmother want to talk to Renamon about?? Maybe their secret love isn't a secret anymore??

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. If I did, they'd be in nice season-long box sets on retail shelves by now!

Thanks for reading!!

FM


	3. Chapter 3

Sunrise Reflections

By: FortressMaximus

Chapter 3

Authors Notes:

I'm not dead. Well, if I am no one told ME, and I figured I'd the first one to know. Sorry it's so short, but there's more to come sooner or later. I'll do my best to make it more 'sooner' than later.

And blatant cameo alert: another nudge from well-traveled ally of justice is in this chapter. You have been warned.

And I make no apologizes for the Kamen Rider Decade reference. It was too good to pass up.

Please read and review, and again thanks to everyone for being SO patient! I really hope you enjoy the start of this next part of the story!

And I apolgize for the lack of indents. For some reason, the upload process now takes my paragraph indentions away. I'll try to fix it and reupload when possible!

FortressMaximus

Aug 9th, 2010

A little boy and his sister chasing a floating red balloon down the sidewalk, giggling as it danced on the wind.

A slightly older boy and girl-brushing along the outskirts of their teenage years-standing in front of a jewelry store. Inside, the small tray of promise rings beckoned, each silently wondering if they should ask the other to take that step.

A much older couple stood a few feet away, watching the youngsters at the jewelry store. Wistful looks gently danced across their aged faces as they fondly remembered those first moments of young love so many years ago.

Henry saw none of this as he tore down the sidewalk, his vision blurred by tears and grief over what he had nearly done to his father moments ago. Shouts of anger at his rude passing fell upon deaf ears as the distraught teen crashed through the early afternoon crowd, his destination one born of instinct and heartache.

Minutes later, a much older version of the boy huffed and puffed along the same sidewalk, pausing to catch his breath. Gasping, Janyu leaned forward and gulped in the air his lungs so desperately needed. A few of the onlookers, having just recovered from the boy dashing by, noticed the family resemblance and slowly began putting two and two together. But before anyone could even think of offering assistance to what was obviously a painful father/son moment, the elder man was off again, dashing off after his wayward son across the street and into the park.

Though it took another few minutes for Janyu to catch up to his son, he finally did so at the far end of the park. A good distance away from the playground where Suzie had stumbled-or rather been drawn-into the Digital World, this older playground was where he had taken Henry so many years ago-long before his sister had even been a gleam in his mother's eye. The man took a step forward upon seeing Henry rocking back and forth on the ancient swing, but paused nearly immediately.

*Okay Janyu, now what?* he asked himself, unsure of how to begin healing the rift that had so violently ripped open between them minutes earlier.

It had been his poor choice of words; a father's worry overriding his common sense when he called the girl Henry had been sneaking out to see a 'whore' without even knowing anything about her.

The revelation of the girl being a Digimon…Renamon specifically…had shocked both father and son into silence until Henry's rapid departure from their apartment delayed any chance at solving the painful argument until this point.

The man sighed deeply. "Both of us are at fault here; I know that. But how do I **fix** it?" he asked the universe at large even though he never expected a reply.

"Would you care for a jelly baby?"

Lost in thought as he was, it took Janyu a moment to realize that the question he had heard asked was being addressed to him. Blinking, the man focused on reality once more and looked down, a small white and crumpled bag filled with colorful candies now in his line of sight. Slowly he tracked the bag to the hand holding it, up the attached arm that was covered by a burgundy jacket or coat. The arm met the shoulder and Janyu blinked as the man who offered the sweets came fully into view.

A mop of brown curly hair met his gaze, barley contained by a floppy burgundy hat that looked more at home rolled up in the man's long overcoat than on his head. A bright smile full of teeth rested on the man's face. About the same height as himself, Janyu noticed the overcoat nearly brushed the ground, but even that lengthy garment was overshadowed by the enormously long scarf of many colors that lay wrapped several times around the man's neck and upper torso.

But it was the man's eyes-a mix of brown and hazel-that captured Janyu's attention. Full of both the whimsical fun of youth and the burdens of knowledge that came with age, the orbs held both mixed together in uneasy harmony.

Finally tearing from the man's gaze, the father found his voice. "Uhm…no thank you. Have to watch my sugar you know…" he muttered, saying the first polite excuse he could think of.

"Oh, really?" responded the man, his face falling as if he had just been told Santa Claus wasn't real. "Oh well!" he said suddenly, brightening as if nothing had happened "Don't worry! They'll get all that fixed soon! Mind you…" his voice trailed off as he leaned forward…"I do hope you like grilled carrot tofu.." as he nodded, sounding as if he just passed along sage advice.

"I...uhm…well…"

"You know.." the man continued, nodding down towards the hill where the teen was still rocking on the swing set "…I have to say it looks like you've got more important things on your mind than jelly babies and carrot tofu."

Somehow avoiding conversational whiplash from the rapid topic shifts, Janyu nodded as he focused on Henry once more. "You have no idea." he whispered, the weight of the situation resting fully on his shoulders once more.

"You know, if I was a betting man-which I'm not; well, there was that one time in Space Vegas but that's neither here or there, I'd wager that young man over there is having some issues with the ladies?" the stranger guessed, drawing a look of shock from Janyu.

"What? How did…"

"A young man in his PJ's sitting on a swing set, upset to say the least and a father looking down at him, lost in thought on how to fix things? Simple! Really couldn't be anything else! So then…" he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper…"I take it you disapprove of the young lady in question?"

"No, not at all! I mean..that is to say.." the father stumbled for the words, unable to make the jumbled thoughts in his head settle down and come out in a coherent order. It was then he blinked…"Wait, why am I telling you all this?".

The man smiled, as if use to hearing the problems of complete strangers. "Oh, I just have that kind of face!" he said, as if that was reason enough to answer all of Janyu's questions. "Now then, if you don't disapprove of her what's the problem?"

Sighing, Janyu looked back over at his son. "It's not that I disapprove, well, I don't want to as she's a trusted…friend of the family. But she's…so *very* different."

"Different? Well, of course that's ample enough reason to not like her!"

Janyu blinked. "Hey now! I didn't say that!" he whispered harshly through his teeth. "I just…he's so young! And she's…if he truly is in love that's one thing; but does she even know what love is? And even if he does, I'm not sure she can ever really feel the same about him."

Frowning, the bohemian-clad man thrust his hands into his large coat pockets. "Well now, that seems right unfair! Tell me, do you know what love is?" he asked, leaning forward once more to meet the man's gaze point blank.

"Of course!"

"No, you mean to say you can tell me what love means *to you*! But can you tell me what love *means*? The one definite answer that would be universally accepted?"

"Of course not! Love is different things to different people! To think there's one absolute definition of truth, or hope, or love…it's just not possible!"

A huge smile once more crept across the face of the out-of-place man. "So what makes his definition of love any less right than yours humm? Sure he's younger, but doesn't that mean he has a clarity that so many of you humans lose when you get older? Wisdom with age is a fine thing, but it's not really wise to dismiss someone else's opinion just because they're young right? Universe doesn't work that way, and believe me I know."

"But, if I don't stop this now he could be hurt!"

"Of course he could be hurt…the girl too! But I'll ask you a question I asked a friend of mine a long time ago…'Which is the greater regret to carry around for eternity; a love that was tried and failed, or a love never given the chance to bloom' ? Which do you want your son to face carrying around for the rest of his life?"

The father could only stand there, taken aback by the statement.

"It's up to you Janyu; you're his father and yes, you have to protect him. But do you protect him by controlling his life…and who he loves…or do you guide with a gentle hand and let him make the mistakes he needs to make to achieve the happiness you want him to have? Do you want to be the torrent of wind that blows through Henry's life, knocking over all he treasures in an attempt to force him to go where you want him to go, or the soft breeze that gives him that needful nudge here and there at his own pace and be much happier with his life…and with you…in the process?"

The words echoed in Janyu's head for a long moment, before a startling realization hit him; he never told the man his or Henry's name. Twirling, he faced the stranger and narrowed his gaze. "WHO are you?" he demanded.

That same playful smile once again crept across the man's face, turning into a broad grin. "Me? Oh, just a passing through Kamen…no, wait…wrong timeline. That hasn't happened yet has it?" he asked, getting a confused look from the scientist. "You know, that's the trouble with doing time in order…it gets so confusing! How about we just say I'm someone who saw a chance to help someone and leave it at that humm?" he said, turning around and slowly walking up a small stone path towards what LOOKED like…a phone booth?

In the middle of the park?

"Wait…"

"Sorry Janyu, places to go, people to see! Got reservations at Milliways and even I had to call in a few favors to get them!" It was then the looked over his shoulder and smiled back at the man…"It'll be okay. Just trust him like you wanted your father to trust you, and let things happen as it should okay?" he said, his finger coming to rest by his nose, as if the strange man somehow KNEW everything would be okay and he was letting Janyu on the secret-well, in an under-the table way so to speak.

Janyu could only watch in confusion as the man kept walking towards the phone booth. Shaking his head he finally turned away, his thoughts now on Henry more than the stranger.

"Oh…by the way!" came the voice from across the distance drawing Janyu's attention back towards the telephone booth. It as then he saw the moppish-brown curls peeking out of the half-opened doors. "Check your right pocket! You might find it handy!" he said, that same broad smile etched on his face as the stranger disappeared into the box once more.

It was then Janyu saw something incredible; the deep low moaning filled the air and the blue box began to fade from sight. A small wind picked up, as if it was carrying the strange contraption off into another time…another place. As the box faded and the moaning died, the wind settled down to a light breeze before ending altogether. Fumbling a little he pulled out coupon for two free ice cream cones from any park vendor-a coupon he was sure that wasn't there before.

As much as he wanted to try and find out who…or what…the stranger really was (the scientist in him was curious beyond reason), the part of him that was a father won out. Spotting an ice cream vendor back down the hill he had come up a few minutes earlier, Janyu set off to put the stranger's gift to good use.

He knew the odd man was right-and in a way, so was Henry; he was on the verge of becoming an unwieldy force of nature, trying to push Henry where he wanted the boy to be.

He was on the verge of becoming his father.

*NO* thought the man to himself… *I will not become like that.* As much as he loved his father, the unyielding stance his own father took on his mixed marriage had caused a riff that the family had never truly healed from. Now that rift was threatening the next generation, and it was then and there Janyu vowed to not let that happen.

Not again.

Now with ice cream in hand, the father started towards his son, determined to put the situation right before Henry's first love went so very wrong.

The time machine spun through the cosmos, decades and centuries passing like seconds on a stopwatch. The man fiddled with the controls, only pausing to look up when the interior door that led to the rest of the ship opened and his current companion came out.

"Good morning Doctor."

"Morning? It's almost 8am Leela; well, give or take that is. " he grinned. "Sleeping in late?"

A warrior from the Sevateem Tribe, Leela had only recently joined the Doctor on his travels. Prone to strike first and ask questions later as her foe lay paralyzed on the floor, the Time Lord was doing his best to explain how the universe wasn't really fond of getting a Janis Thorn shoved in it's neck for the most part.

He still had a long way to go.

"Well, someone was supposed to wake me should I sleep past sunrise Doctor" the warrior grinned, walking over in her traditional outfit of furs that covered a modest-if not numerous-amount of her fair body. "Since there is no sun in your Tardis.."

"Well, I had one…somewhere…not my fault I can't remember where I put it!" he groused, flipping a switch as the view screen lowered out of sight.

Intrigued at what their new destination might be, the companion walked over to her friend. "Where are we headed Doctor?"

"Oh, just feeling a bit of nostalgia Leela.." he said, cocking his head when it was clear she didn't recognize the word. "Wanting to remember some old times really. Tell me.." he asked, looking at her with a wolfish grin…"have you ever been to the Digital World? "

"I've never heard of such a place." Of course, the young warrior thought it was a bit obvious to point out she had never considered there was life off her own world-let alone other galaxies -before she met the man before her.

"Oh, good! Then you are in for a treat! Can't wait for you to meet my old friend Azulongmon. About 20 years ago he asked me to do a favor for him today and just thought I'd stop by and let him know it's done. Wonder if he's made Sovereign yet…?" he asked no one in particular as he flipped the controls and the TARDIS changed course for the Digital World.

Renamon sat down, unsure as if the forthcoming conversation was something she should be concerned about or not. She quickly replayed the mornings' events in her mind, wondering if some hint of the night she had shared with Henry had escaped her attention only to be caught by the older woman beside her.

The Digimon knew her new family was not ready for such a radical concept; a human and Digimon in love. The household had been stretched to the limit by Rika's somewhat recent revelation of her pregnancy and the other contributor to her condition being Takato. But how…how could Seik…her grandmother…know?

A gentle touch fell upon her knee, startling Renamon back to reality as Seiko's warm smile momentarily eased some of the confusion the Digimon was feeling.

The elder of the two knew that something serious had recently happened to the Digimon that had quickly become like a second granddaughter; something that she could see in the Fox's eyes and had a good idea what it was. But her own theories on what might have just happened would need to wait; the last thing she wanted was taint Renamon's memories of recent events with embarrassment.

There were other concerns to address first.

"Renamon, you don't have to answer and I will understand if you choose to not have this discussion…but…have you and Rika been having any…issues…of late?"

The Kitsune blinked, caught off-guard by the question. She had been so focused on her relationship with Henry that the issue of problems between her and Rika didn't even enter her mind until that very moment. Taking a second to focus her thoughts, the Digimon finally shook her head. "Not as far as I am aware Grandmother. We have had a few…disagreements…now and then since her pregnancy began, but I can easily attribute those to her body chemistry changing and not an attempt to be disagreeable."

Seiko nodded, well remembering those few instances where the Digimon and her Tamer had some very disagreeable words on some of the most minor issues possible. Although feelings were hurt on both sides, the pair soon overcame the pain with understanding that both were just under stress due to Rika's condition.

It was then Renamon looked at the Kitsune. "Has Rika…has something come up that would make you feel that Rika and I are having problems?" Though she tried to keep the worry out of her voice, a hint of it crept in and Seiko gently squeezed her granddaughter's paw to ease her worry.

"Not directly to me Renamon, although…"

The Digimon sat up a little straighter. "'Although'"?

Seiko sighed. "This morning she was a bit-well, I won't mix words here Renamon-she was a little pissed you weren't here to go with her to the doctors office."

A tremor of guilt rippled down her body as the fox's gaze fixated on the floor. "I see."

"Normally when girl is pregnant Renamon, the changes in her body make her have and say thoughts that she normally wouldn't have. Even with Rika being a, well, a rather forward young lady these changes can be wrote off as you well know. However, while she was letting off steam, she did raise a good point."

Looking back up, the Kitsune met Seiko's gaze.

"In the past, up to a few months ago, we could set our watches by you Renamon. You were always were you said you were going to be when you said you would be there. That kind of dependability is rare to find in anyone-human or Digimon. But now you run coming home many mornings. You leave for patrol earlier than in the past and…I hate to say this…are late to escort Rika to class. Now, I'm not trying to pry-and forgive an old lady for seeing problems where they might not truly exist-but understand in the human world when girls or boys suddenly change lifelong habits that could be a warning sign that something is wrong."

Saying nothing, the fox simply nodded.

Seiko sighed, patting Renamon's paw once more. "I think Rika's scared she's done something to alienate you Renamon; that perhaps she has hurt you in a way she doesn't understand and worried that you don't want to be her partner-let alone her sister-anymore."

In a blur the Digimon was on her feet, paws clenched. "Never! I will not abandon her in this time of need nor will I let anyone or anything drive me from her side! She is my partner…my Tamer…and now my sister! I swear by the Great Sovereigns she will never be without me by her side unless the day comes and she asks me to leave. Then and only then shall our partnership be ended and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that day does not come!"

A small smile full of pride crossed Seiko's face, knowing full well the Kitsune meant ever single word. Gently she stood and gave the fox a tight hug. "Thank you Renamon; it does me good to hear such conviction in your voice. I know that you two love each other in your own ways; anyone with half an ounce of sense could see that. But while I appreciate it more than you imagine, perhaps you should tell Rika that as well; it could go a long way to easing her worries.." she paused, laughing lightly for a moment…'even if we both know she'll never admit to being worried in the first place."

Despite her best efforts a small smile tugged at the corners of her muzzle and Renamon nodded. "I shall do that as soon as the moment presents itself. And I shall endeavor to make sure my tardiness is a thing of the past."

With a grateful nod the grandmother patted her granddaughter's shoulder. "Thank you Renamon. Now, I think I'm going to go and put the leftovers up. If you want a plate later on after your nap, they'll be in the 'fridge for you."

With a nod, the Digimon turned to head out the kitchen and down the hallway to the room she and Rika shared.

"Oh, Renamon…?"

Turning, the fox looked back over at her grandmother "Yes?"

With a knowing smile she gave her grandchild an odd look. "If there is anything that is bothering you-about Rika, or changes in your own life that you are unsure of-you can always come to me…" she offered with a grin.

"Thank you. That is a very kind offer."

"You're my granddaughter Renamon; it's my pleasure. Although I have to admit there are some purely selfish reasons for it as well."

"Oh really?" the Kitsune asked, worry tinting her voice once more.

With that same odd smile Seiko nodded. "Although I have come to terms with my first grandchild making me a Great Grandmother at such an early age… I would rather not go though this again with my second grandchild anytime soon…" she said, giving Renamon a wink as she turned and vanished into the kitchen before the fox could reply.

Renamon's mouth hung open…a rather unsightly but totally expected response to the statement just issued to her.

*She knows…* was all Renamon could think as a stark silence filled the house, broken only by her labored breathing and the shuffling of plates from the kitchen.

Janyu carefully made is way down the hill, one hand holding the double scoops of Butter Pecan and the other holding the sugar-free chocolate Pistachio. Pausing at the sandy edge of the playground he looked at his son for a moment to compose his thoughts. With a deep breath he crossed the imaginary boundary Henry had been monitoring and the teen looked up at his father.

Too exhausted to run and to ashamed to say anything, the boy simply sat there, not sure what was going to happen next.

He was dimly aware of his favorite ice cream being offered to him, and mechanically took it muttering an automatic 'thank you' for the treat. He licked the frozen dessert, not really tasting it as his father sat down beside him on another empty swing.

"So…Renamon huh?"

The boy didn't reply, not sure if this was some sort of trap of not. He licked the ice cream and finally nodded. "Yea."

Janyu nodded, taking a bite of his own dessert. "Well, I can see why you could fall in love with her."

Henry blinked, then looked up at his dad for an explanation.

The elder smiled and shrugged. "Well, she is a fox after all."

The teen went to take a bite of his ice cream, then winced as the inherent horribleness of his father's pun sank in. "Geesh Dad…that's terrible!"

"Maybe, but it got you to smile."

The boy froze in place, realization slowly sinking in that he was smiling despite the painful pun he had just been inflicted with.

The two just sat there for a moment, trying to figure out what could…or should…be said next.

"I'm sorry."

The pair blinked as they realized they said the same thing at the same time. Blushing, Henry nodded towards his dad. "You first."

Janyu nodded, looking out over the playground. "Henry, you have to understand that I don't want to see you hurt; but any relationship that starts out with you sneaking out to see a girl is already facing a lot of trust issues. Can we at least agree on that?"

The boy sighed. While he knew there were more issues than just trust concerning his relationship with Renamon his dad's basic premise was truthful, no matter how much it hurt to admit it. "I guess."

The man sat there, trying to figure out what to do next. Taking another bite of his ice cream he watched the world go by for several minutes before glancing back over at his son. "Can I ask how you and Renamon started seeing each other?"

With a nod the boy closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts about these past few months. With the weight of his entire relationship with Renamon on the line, Henry began to tell the tale of how a human boy and a Digimon warrior fell in love.

To be continued….


	4. Chapter 4

Sunrise Reflections

Chapter 4: Between Grandmothers and Granddaughters

By: FortressMaximus

Update: I'm not dead; though I'm sure many of you have wanted to kill me by now. It's just been…well, life…for the longest time and I wish I had done things differently but I can only try to get back in the swing and hope you all forgive me for being gone so long.

I hope you like this chapter and please consider leaving a review!

FortressMaximus

7-7-2012

* * *

Renamon wanted to sleep and dream; dream of Henry and the night they had just shared together. Maybe dream of the future-all the silly, crazy moments that were all but impossible in the real world- but so easily reachable in her mind.

She wanted to sleep and dream of last night and all the nights yet to come.

She couldn't.

Renamon sat on the edge of the bed looking out through the window at the outside world. Normally the chirp of birds and hum of distant traffic were but background noise to aid her trip into slumber; now each was like a bomb going off next to her ears, keeping her from getting some much needed rest.

The worst part was those distractions were but minor complications tacked onto the main thought that kept the Digimon from drifting off to sleep. The main cause was those few worlds that Seiko Hata-her 'grandmother'- said in passing such a short time ago…

'"Although I have come to terms with my first grandchild making me a Great Grandmother at such an early age I would rather not go through this again with my second grandchild anytime soon…"'.

It wasn't just the words that bothered her; those alone would have been bad enough. It was the look of knowing the elder human had on her face as she spoke that caused an icy ball of worry to form in the Kitsune's gut.

Seiko Hata *knew*.

"Is this how Rika felt after her first time with Takato?" The fox quietly asked her reflection in the mirror across from the bed. "Did she worry about others finding out; of friends and family…of me… passing judgment because of her decision?" The questions hung in the air but the image held no reply.

With a deep sigh the fox resigned herself to her fate and gave up on the thought of sleep anytime soon. Knowing she could not be at ease until the matter was resolved, Renamon walked out of the small guest room and back down the hall to the kitchen.

Humming a tune from her youth, Seiko put up the last of the morning plates and turned to finish clearing the table when she noticed Renamon walk in looking concerned. "Hello dear…" she said, keeping her tone light and friendly. "I thought you were going to take a nap?"

Figuring honestly was the best policy; the fox let her gaze fall on the elderly human. "I can't sleep Grandmother; something you said earlier has been on my mind for the past little while."

"Oh?" Seiko replied, pausing in her cleaning and turning her full attention to her newest granddaughter.

Closing her eyes for a moment, the Kitsune composed her thoughts. "How did you know?" she finally asked, opening her eyes and looked at the human as she tried to mask the uncertainty she felt.

Smiling, Seiko sat down in a chair and motioned for the Digimon to do the same. Nodding as she took her own chair, Renamon listened carefully.

"It was your eyes."

Renamon blinked. "My…eyes?"

With a smile Seiko reached over and patted the fox's paw. "Most of the women in our family have a gift Renamon. We know things in others before we're told. On my side of the family all the women have known when their sons and daughters were no longer the child they were but the adult they would become. When Rumiko slept with Rika's father I could tell before she told me. After I had my first time with a boy my mother knew before I could even tell her and her mother was the same way…" the woman explained, keeping her tone gentle. "The only time it has failed us was with Rika. Neither Ruimko or myself saw that in Rika's eyes after she returned from the Digital World; even now I can't explain it. Perhaps with Rika being so different from other young ladies her age we had no reason to expect it. Or maybe we didn't want to see it, hoping the future wouldn't repeat the errors of the past."

"With all due respect then, how were you so sure about me?"

"When you were eating breakfast there was…" the woman paused, trying to find the right words…"a carefree look in your eyes there I hadn't seen before. Even when you are here at home around the family you have a…tenseness…that never seems to go away completely. I do not mean that as a slight; it is simply a part of who you are. Your past experiences have made you the warrior you are today. Yet this morning, even that was gone. There are very few things in the world that can affect a young woman so completely and at the top of that list is her first time."

A deep blush stained the fox's cheeks as she turned away, more than a little embarrassed that her emotions concerning the night before were much more noticeable than she had believed.

A gentle squeeze of her paw brought the Digimon back to reality. "There's nothing to be ashamed of Renamon" comforted the elder as she smiled warmly. "Last night was a time you will never forget; as it is with all young women. You might not remember what you had for breakfast today a few weeks from now but for the rest of your life you will remember every moment you and Guilmon shared."

Renamon was about to reply when her brain caught up to Seiko's words and she paused, muzzle moving but no words came forth. It was there in the awkward silence that you could almost hear the fox's mind derail in a spectacular display of explosions.

"Renamon?" quietly prompted Seiko, not quite sure what had just transpired.

"Why…?" began the Digimon, but paused to shake herself free of the brain freeze that had disabled her for the past few moments…"I mean…Guilmon?" she asked sounding a bit unnerved by the human's choice of names.

"Oh my, did I offend you?" apologized the grandmother with sincere honestly in her voice. "I only assumed it was Guilmon since Takato and Rika are lovers as well."

Renamon cocked her head, her fractured mind still not quite able to make the same connections her human friend was suggesting. "I don't see how…" she started to comment but shuddered as her mind tossed up a rather unwanted image of her and Guilmon in a position she had shared with Henry such a short time ago.

Still not quite sure what she had done wrong, Seiko tried to explain. "I'm sorry Renamon; I just thought since you and Rika are alike in so many ways and that Takato and Guilmon share similar characteristics between them you might have developed feelings for him like Rika has for Takato."

Slowly the fox's brain started firing on all synapses again and the finally understood the parallels the human had drawn. "While Guilmon is a valued friend and brave warrior, I do not feel the same connection that Rika does with Takato or I do with He…him."

A single eyebrow raised at Renamon's near slip-up was the only outward signal that Seiko had caught the Kitsune's mistake. "I see. Well, I am very sorry for assuming the wrong Digimon Renamon. I did not mean to offend."

The fox shook her head quickly. "No, please. Do not think that!" she quickly said, trying to mend the slight rough patch they had hit. "Surprised yes, but not offended. I have come to respect Guilmon as a warrior and a friend; not to mention his youthful ways of looking at the world are refreshing at times but I feel only friendship with him and not those feelings that would make him my lover." Truth is the fox thought the dinosaur wasn't ready for any lover but felt that was best left unsaid.

A long silence filled the room; each woman lost in their own thoughts until Seiko leaned over and held her granddaughter's paw in her hands once more. "Renamon, even though I am not part of your family by blood I am in spirit so I hope you understand that-as your Grandmother-I must ask you something very personal. You do not have to answer, but I must ask as it is my duty as a woman and the elder of this family."

Another icy chill ran down the Kitsune's spine as she took in Seiko's words. A slow nod was her only reply.

"This Digimon you were with; did he treat you with respect and dignity? Do you feel he valued your sacrifice and respected the trust you put in him?"

The fox paused, trying to find the best way to reply. However Seiko took her silence in an all-together different light. Eyes narrowing, Seiko met her granddaughter's gaze head on. "Renamon, at any point do you feel he might have…pushed you into something you were not ready for?"

Shock and the urgent need to defend Henry's motivations for the night before overrode whatever other thoughts that had been in the forefront of the fox's mind. "No! He would never do that! I was treated with respect and honor!" she all but yelled, shooting to her feet with paws balled in defiance of the very notion of Henry forcing her down a path like that against her will. "I was treated like a Goddess! Everything he did was for my benefit!" she said, her gaze not wavering in the slightest. "Even before…before things could not be undone he gave me a choice to stop and wait until the time was right! Do you know what that must have been like for him?" she asked, catching Seiko off guard with the intensity of the question. "His first time and…and so close to experiencing what he had only heard about for years and yet he pulled himself away to give me a chance to say 'not yet'. I have seen true warriors crumble in lesser situations so do **not** discount his honor or his courage at doing the right thing no matter the personal pain to him. I will not allow it!"

The grandmother could only sit there, shocked by the passion in the fox's voice and the love she felt for this Digimon. The anger and surprise at this rapid turn of conversation lingered in the air for several long seconds before the elder of the pair stood up and gave her grandchild a powerful hug.

"Rika said nearly the exact same things about Takato. Did you know that? "She whispered softly. "You truly do love him, don't you?" she whispered, pulling away to meet the Kitsune's gaze with a smile.

The smile from her friend quickly dispersed the resentment and outrage Renamon had been feeling as quickly as had formed. A look of embarrassment formed on the fox's face as she looked away sheepishly. "I…am sorry Grandmother. I only…"

"You were protecting who you love my child. I did not mean to imply anything against his honor or love for you, but I must ask such things despite the pain they might cause. You are a brave warrior and a wonderful sister to my Rika, but you are still my granddaughter and I must protect you from those that would hurt you for their own benefits or even yourself if you travel down a path that will only cause despair and agony."

The fox smiled and nodded. "And for that I thank you. Knowing a woman such as you is there to guide myself and Rika is a comfort that we both treasure. I only wish some of our Sovereigns were as wise as you."

Now it was Seiko's turn to blush at such a compliment. "Thank you dear. That means a lot considering how highly you have spoke of some of your Sovereigns in the past. Now, you don't have to tell me his name; I can tell you wish to keep him your own little secret for now and that I honestly understand. But please tell me that sometime soon I will meet the Digimon that has stolen your heart and gained such trust with his noble actions?"

It was then that Renamon blinked and sighed, stepping away from the human and turned to look out the window, lost in deep thought.

Seiko's motherly senses went off full blast, knowing something has suddenly changed between them. "Renamon?"

The Digimon stood there, not sure what-if anything- to say. Part of her wanted to keep up the façade that her lover was a Digimon; to avoid the arguments and denials that would most assuredly come with common knowledge that her love and lover was a human. But there was another part of her just as vocal; that part knew-like Takato and Rika's child-to-be and secret love-could not stay hidden forever. Friends and family would find out and the judgments would begin. She had to trust someone with this revelation first, and the elder human in front of her seemed like the best choice.

Still…

Seiko reached over and took her grandchild in her arms and held her, trying to excise whatever worries that suddenly plagued the brave fox before her. "Whatever it is my child, I am here for you. The battle you fight now you do not fight alone." she whispered, the resolve in her voice stronger than any substance forged by man or Digimon.

The words were there, mired in Renamon's doubt and worry like prehistoric beasts trying to escape from some primordial tar pit. She wanted the words to come forth; to know how Seiko would react to the revelation and learn if she could rely on the elder human when the time came to tell Rika and others of her love for Henry.

"Grandmother, there is…something you should know…" Renamon all but whispered as she relied on the human's promise to give her the strength to say the words.

Seiko nodded, saying nothing as she could tell this was as painful as it was necessary for the Digimon to say.

"He….he is….isn't…a…" she faltered, unable to get that last word out.

"He's not what Renamon?" the human asked, still holding the fox in a comforting embrace.

It was then Renamon looked up, her eyes filled with hope and worry in equal amounts as she finally said what she had been hiding for so many months. "He's not a Digimon Grandmother. He's a…a human."

As stunned as Renamon had been at Seiko's choice of Guilmon as her lover, it was the woman's turn to be blindsided by the fox's revelation that her first lover was a human. Feeling a bit dizzy she sat down, trying to assemble the Digimon's admission into something she could wrap her head around. Finally after several moments Seiko looked at the fox. "Is that…is it even possible…how could you two..?" she asked, for the first time in many years taken by surprise so completely.

A deep blush darkened the cheeks of the fox as she glanced at the floor, looking like a child who was caught raiding the cookie jar before dinner. "It's…very possible…" she whispered, trying and failing to keep a smile off her muzzle as the memory of just *how* possible it was.

Despite her shock, Seiko couldn't help but smirk at the grin on her granddaughter's face as some very pleasant memory was apparently catching her mental attention. "Would you like a glass of lemon juice dear? Might help tone that smile down some so it wont blind everyone in the neighborhood..." she teased, trying to diffuse the heavy weight that had settled over the pair in the last few minutes.

Although grateful for the human's attempt to lighten the situation, Renamon knew there was still one worry that held her down; one that could threaten the very fabric of this family she had stumbled into. "Are you..?" she asked softly, for some reason the woman's opinion mattering a great deal at this very moment. "Do you wish me to leave?"

Narrowing her eyes at the Digimon Seiko crossed her arms. "Why would I ask you to do a foolish thing like that?" she countered. "Do you _**want**_ to leave for some reason?"

"No! No, I do not but…"

"But?"

Knowing this was the make-or-break point of her revelation, Renamon summoned all her courage and met the human's gaze head on. "I tell you of him because I know when it becomes common knowledge, there will be those who do not understand; some may even seek to undo the bond he and I have forged. Rika trusted you with knowledge of her impending motherhood because she felt you would stand with her against those who felt the same about her and Takato as they would now about me and him. You were crucial to Takato and Rika breaking the news to their families about their love and her faith in you was more than justified. I…feel the same as Rika; that your wisdom and honor will be necessary when the truth comes out about him and me. But I also understand that my situation is much different than Rika's and that difference might well be something you do not agree with or support. You may even wish me gone from your home-if so I will abide by that decision. I will **not** forgo my protection of Rika and will stay by her side until my last breath no matter what you or anyone might wish. Nor will I abandon my love for the boy; if there is a future for us we must discover it and not for others make that decision. If we try and fail, at least we know the truth and not have a lifetime of regret as our reward for listening to others instead of our own voices."

Seiko just sat there, stunned by the passion in the fox's voice and the strength of her words. It was then she took a step forward and embraced the fox in a powerful hug. It took the Digimon a full minute to finally return the gesture and Seiko could almost feel the weight of the moment evaporate from Renamon's shoulders.

"Renamon, I want you to listen carefully…" Seiko began as she sat back down, gently pulling her granddaughter back to her own seat. "I have always been mindful of family traditions but I am not so close-minded that I cannot change with the times. Love is love; it knows no boundaries. Between boys and girls, two men or two women, or even a human and a very beautiful Digimon love is the one thing we all have in common, perhaps even across two different worlds. If you love this boy half as much as your words suggest I know that you two will make it. Yes, it will be difficult and there will be those who will not understand. They do not matter and their opinions matter even less. The only thing that counts is that you both listen to your hearts and be truthful to yourselves and each other. If you promise me that then I will be there when you need me my child."

Taken aback by the words Renamon could only nod as she gratefully accepted the woman's help and advice.

Another hug passed between the pair before they separated. Seiko leaned back in her chair letting the Digimon compose herself. It was rare for the fox to let her emotions run free like this and the grandmother knew such a thing would not happen again soon.

Though it took a few minutes, Renamon finally smiled and sat up straight, the weight of the past few hours lifted off her soul. She was about to say something when she noticed the grin on the elder woman's face continued for a rather odd amount of time. A deep sigh escaped her chest. "You're dying to know who aren't you?"

"Of course I am! But I'll be more than happy to piece the puzzle together on my own until you're ready to tell me! It might even be fun watching you for clues. I haven't had a good mystery to solve in a long time!"

Renamon sighed. She knew the woman wouldn't pry into her life to find out the boy's identity and would wait until she was told his name. But as she pondered the situation a single thought occurred to her: could she really match wits with Seiko on a regular basis, hiding every clue to Henry's identity until the time was right to reveal it? It was then the Kitsune remember how easily her night with Henry had been revealed without a single word, and the Digimon knew that in this battle she had little chance of winning against such a powerful and wise foe. With a sigh of resignation she glanced around, making sure they were still alone.

"If I tell you, you **must** not tell anyone else until the time is right."

"Of course! But you are going to tell Rika soon correct? " she countered, crossing her arms showing that was more than just a casual suggestion.

"I will. I just need to pick the best time."

"Renamon, if you are worried about Rika's judgment of you I think you have little to fear! She is your partner by fate and sister by choice. You don't think…?"

The fox shook her head. "I think Rika will be shocked at first, but I do hope she will respect my choice even if she does not agree with it. But such a revelation-with all that she has going on-I feel that now is not the time to tell her."

Seiko sighed, and knew that even though her granddaughter was holding back telling Rika about her new love partially out of fear there was a nugget of truth in the statement. Such a revelation would need proper timing as Rika's own concerns were still weighing heavily on her mind. "As long as you don't wait as long to tell her as she and Takato did in telling their families, then I promise not to say a thing." the elder said, holding up a single hand in pledge.

With another sigh-this one of relief-the fox nodded. While she didn't want to reveal Henry to anyone this soon, she knew that Seiko's promise to help them would be even stronger if she knew more about the boy himself. With a silent apology to Henry (and a quick prayer to the Sovereigns that he would understand her reasoning) the Digimon inhaled sharply.

"It's…I…his name is…" she faltered, the words that were ready to come forth a second ago fought against her mouth making them a reality. Clenching her paws she forced the words out into existence; one of the hardest things she ever had to do.

"It's Henry."

Seiko blinked.

Renamon held her breath.

Seiko blinked again.

Renamon felt the icy ball of worry forming in her gut once more.

"Henry…Wong?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Terriermon's partner?"

Renamon nodded.

"Humm…"

"'Humm?'" inquired the Digimon, growing more unsure if she had made a mistake or not.

"The warrior and the peacemaker; a very unique and opposing combination," Seiko said softly, watching her granddaughter intently.

"It is. We have had…challenges on finding common ground on some issues," she admitted. "But if what I have observed between Rika and Takato is normal for a relationship then all couples have them from time to time."

Seiko would be the first to say that no relationship is ever 'normal'-especially that of her first granddaughter and her boyfriend-but Renamon's basic argument was sound so she let it rest. She watched the fox for a few more moments before noticing the look of concern on her face. She leaned forward and took the Digimon's paws in her hands a final time.

"I think he's a very kind young man Renamon and I believe you made a fine choice. Please…tell me about him and about how you met…" she asked, an approving smile on her face.

With a lightness of heart she hadn't expected, the Digimon leaned forward and smiled. "Well," she started, feeling a blush forming on her cheeks…"it started with a tree branch….".

To Be Continued

Author Note: Thanks to CrazyEight for some invaluable beta proofreading and grammar refreshers. Man am I rusty! Hopefully the flow is a bit better and not quite so choppy! Thanks to everyone for reading!

FM


End file.
